Chargers Rally Past Black Hawk as Bentley Reaches 1,000 Points

GALESBURG — Elly Bentley recorded her 1,000th career point and the Carl Sandburg College women's basketball team used a go-ahead run in the fourth quarter to power its way past Black Hawk 71-65 on Tuesday at John Lewis Gym to put itself on the verge of an Arrowhead Conference title.

With the win, the Chargers (17-8, 5-1) maintained sole possession of first place in the conference and can clinch at least a share of the Arrowhead title with a victory in one of their two remaining conference games. Sandburg wraps up its conference slate with games Tuesday at Kishwaukee and Feb. 15 at home against Sauk Valley.

BENTLEY SURPASSES 1,000 POINTS
Entering the game needing seven points to reach 1,000 in her Chargers career, Bentley passed the milestone just past the midway point of the second quarter. Sitting on 999 points, she took a pass from Brook Pieper in the right corner and sized up her defender for a moment before knocking down a 17-foot jumper with 4:31 to go in the half to put her past the 1,000-point plateau. The sophomore guard reached the feat in 55 games, averaging 18.5 points per contest.

KEY MOMENTS
• The Chargers took a 39-30 lead into halftime but saw the visiting Braves go ahead 49-47 thanks to an 8-0 run to end the third quarter.
• Sandburg trailed 54-49 early in the fourth before embarking on a 15-0, go-ahead run in less than 4½ minutes that flipped the game upside down. Camille Kruse started the run by drilling a 3-pointer from the left corner, and Bentley's pull-up trey at 6:30 gave the Chargers the lead for good. Sandburg continued to pile on behind a Bentley jumper, a Kruse layup and a Gracie Sims 3 before Pieper's layup with 3:37 left put Sandburg ahead 64-54.
• Black Hawk got withing 68-62 in the final minute, but a Bentley free throw and two foul shots from Kelci Shelton helped the Chargers put the game on ice.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Bentley finished with a game-high 22 points on top of her historic night. She went 8 of 14 from the floor, pulled down eight rebounds, had six assists and collected three steals in the win. Bentley now sits at 1,015 points in her Sandburg career.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
• Pieper: 12 points, 5-8 FG, game-high 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals
• Kruse: 12 points
• Sims: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

FOR THE BRAVES
• Andrea Lopreato: 17 points
• Laney Parker: 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals
• Maddie Nonnenmann: 12 points, 10 rebounds

UP NEXT FOR SANDBURG
5:30 p.m. Thursday vs. South Suburban

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